Chapter Text
The day was too bright and sunny outside for the family standing in the cemetery. There were almost zero clouds in the sky with a temperature of 75 degrees. Birds were chirping and flying around, and squirrels were running around the trees with their acorns or whatever food they could find. Families were walking their dogs in the park, and children were running around the play set. Teenagers were huddled in groups around the city or at the Nasty Burger, a fast food joint.
Only the Fenton family didn't seem to find the day a good day at all. But, why would they? They were standing in the Amity Cemetery burying Daniel Fenton, also known as Danny. Maddie, his mother, was in hysterics as she gripped her husband's arms and cried into his broad chest, loud and messy sobs fell from her mouth. Snot fell down her nose as the tears moistened her face and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't wipe the tears from her face.
Jack, Daniel's father, was holding it in the best he could. He told himself he had to keep it together, be stronger for his wife and his other child, and be a pillar for them. Even though on the inside he felt he was just as dead as his son laying in the casket in front of him. His son. His own son was killed by his own invention. He hated himself for it, he should have taken precautions ever since Vlad's accident years ago in college. This wasn't the first time something like this happened. Vlad Masters, his best friend, was severely injured by a Proto-Portal. It was five times smaller than the one that had killed his son, but Vlad very nearly died in the hospital afterward. He felt ashamed of himself.
Jack tightened his hold around his wife's thin frame his hand rubbing up and down her back soothingly. He didn't say anything to her, didn't whisper sweet nothings into her ear, didn't kiss her on the head or wipe her tears away. No need to, because nothing would soothe her knowing their child was killed and they were somewhat at fault. He just held her and let her cry as messily and noisily as she needed to.
Jasmine, better known as Jazz, Danny's older sister, was just as bad as her mother. Instead, she was holding onto Vlad Masters as tightly as she could, crying silently but harshly into his chest. Her little brother, her little brother. That's all she could think about. Her little brother was dead.
He was so young, so young, and had big dreams. Danny had dreamed of becoming an astronaut and going to the moon. Danny loved the stars and could show and name every single constellation. But now, she'd never get to sit outside with him as he pointed to the constellations, telling her their stories and names again. She'll never get to share his telescope to look at the planets again and she'd never get to hear him talk about them with the biggest smile on his face. Because her brother was dead, being lowered into the ground in front of her.
Vlad Masters was never good with emotions, he never knew how to handle it when others showed emotions such as grief and sadness, or even anger. And he was slightly awkwardly holding his niece close to him as she cried over her brother's death. All Vlad could do was rub her back, much like Jack was doing to Maddie. He stared down at the black casket that contained his young nephew's body. The casket had those little neon yellow glow-in-the-dark stars and the different planets gorilla glued to the top. Honoring the love of space Daniel had even in death.
Vlad appeared the 'calmest' one out of the family in the cemetery. Though Jack was holding it in, he could see it in the way Jack was clenching his jaw, biting down on his teeth harshly with his eyes shutting almost painfully closed. After the funeral, Vlad would take him somewhere and let him let it out without feeling like he needed to be strong for whatever reason. His heart ached as he watched his college friends and held his niece tightly. He turned to his other side to see Danny's best friends. Sam Manson and Tucker Foley.
They were also openly crying and hugging each other tightly. Sam's face shoved into Tucker's neck as she cried just as messily as Maddie. Tucker was a silent crier but he was still crying harshly nonetheless. They held each other as they grieved over the loss of their best friend. Gone way too soon. They'd never go to Nasty Burger as a trio anymore, they'll never do school work together as a trio anymore. They'll never play video games as a trio anymore. They won't have Danny anymore.
As the casket was finally lowered all the way the crying almost seemed to get louder and harsher. Jack tightened his arms around Maddie, and Jazz gripped Vlad's black suit tighter in her fingers. Vlad tightened one arm around her while pulling the other two teens in his arms as well, holding all three of them tightly, letting them wet his black suit with their tears, dirty it with their snot. It was fine, the suit was nothing compared to Danny's life being lost.
It was a bright sunny day for most people, but for the Fentons, it was the darkest day of their lives.
~~~~~
Vlad had stayed in the Fenton household for a couple of months, just being there for them. It was now mid-August, and the weather was getting cooler beginning its change into fall. Maddie and Jack decided about a week ago to start packing up and cleaning up Danny's bedroom. Vlad would help them, rolling up posters carefully and putting rubber bands around them to keep them rolled up. His bookbag and other school-related belongings were packed away in a box labeled 'Danny's School Papers'. His space books were also placed in boxes and his space-themed bed sheets were folded and placed safely in Maddie and Jack's closet. Danny's model rockets and planets were left sitting on the desk and bookshelf, no one had the heart to take them apart and put them away.
The fourteen-year-old had spent days, even weeks putting them together, by himself. Danny's alarm cock was pulled from the wall and put away and everything in the drawer of his nightstand was cleaned out and put away in boxes. All boxes were put away in the attic.
Jazz hadn't left her room since the funeral, no one was even sure she'd eaten much since then either. But they couldn't really blame her, they all barely could even think to eat something. Even so, Vlad would knock lightly on her door with a bag from Nasty Burger whispering he'd bought her some food. He left it sitting by her door and he hoped she was eating it as it did seem to disappear whenever he'd walk by her bedroom door.
Jack and Maddie hadn't gone down to the basement, where the lab is. Where the portal is, up and running and working. A swirling green created light throughout the basement, shining slightly underneath the door. The lab where their son died because of that portal.
Maddie locked the basement door at one point and shoved the key in Vlad's hand with a whisper, "Please... hide it. I don't... we don't want to...," she couldn't even finish before she was in tears again.
Vlad pocketed the key and pulled her into a hug and whispered, "Alright, breathe now, in and out." He coached her into calming down then sat her on the living room couch and went to their kitchen. He made her a cup of tea added some honey to it and walked back out to her. "Here," he said as he handed the cup to her, "drink this and sit. Jack and I will handle the rest of Danny's belongings."
All she could do was nod and sip at the tea she was given. It was warm and absolutely delicious. Vlad really knew how to make a nice cup of tea. She grabbed at the throw-over blanket hanging haphazardly on the back of the couch and then realized whose throw-over it was.
Danny's.
She knew it was his because it had a picture of the moon and stars and an astronaut standing on the moon. It was Danny's favorite blanket to snuggle in for Family Game Night or movie night, or if he was sick and would nap on the couch. Wrapped like a pupa in a cocoon before it comes out as a butterfly. Maddie would give him soup and medicine as he kept the blanket wrapped around his body.
Maddie sniffled again laying the cup down on the coffee table in front of her and wrapped the blanket around herself and cried some more, remembering the year she'd gifted the blanket to him.
It had been Danny's 10th birthday and the way his entire face had lit up as he opened the box containing the blanket. He had stood up to unfold it to really look at it. She'd never seen him smile that big before, or well at least since Jack put those glow-in-the-dark neon yellow stars on his ceiling when he was a toddler. Toddler Danny was infatuated with the things and would fall asleep just staring at the plastic stars.
Maddie cried into the blanket holding it tightly over his shoulders as Vlad rubbed her back softly. Jack came in a moment later having finished putting a couple of boxes into the attic and sat next to his wife the moment he saw her and pulled her into his arms. Vlad continued rubbing her back and Jack did kiss her forehead this time and ran his fingers through his hair.
The two men let her cry.
That blanket never left its spot on the couch ever again, folded neatly and placed hanging over the top, the astronaut and moon on clear display in the living room.
~~~~~
It was about a week later when they finally finished clearing out and cleaning up Danny's bedroom. His model rockets and planets were carefully moved to a shelf in the living room above the fireplace. Pictures of Danny and his friends were hung throughout the house on the walls, Danny and his sister and parents, and even some with Vlad were placed on the walls.
The Fentons and Vlad were waiting on Sam and Tucker to arrive at the house. They were all visiting Danny's grave to place some flowers down for him.
Soon Sam was knocking on their door and Vlad was the one to let the two young teens in. No one said anything as they climbed into Vlad's limousine, it was big and fit everyone and no one wanted to drive at the moment. Too distracted to be able to pay attention to the road. Thankfully Vlad had a driver and everyone was fine with it.
The car ride was silent as they drove to the cemetery and Vlad's driver pulled off to the side of the road and parked the car. Vlad waved him off when he was about to step out and open the doors for everyone and allowed everyone to somberly leave the car themselves.
The day fit their mood for once, gloomy and depressing a chill seeping into their thin jackets. They took their time walking through the cemetery before coming to a stop at Danny's headstone.
Here lies Daniel W. Fenton
Land on the Moon Danny, become the stars our young Astronaut.
October 9th, 1999 - May 8th, 2014
Maddie was the first to almost collapse to her knees if Jack wasn't holding her. He lowered her to the ground and she sniffles wiping her eyes with a tissue then laid some roses onto the ground on top of the grave and whispered, "My baby boy, I love you so much." She cried softly this time as Jack kneeled next to her and Jazz followed suit on the other side of her mother.
Jack wasn't good with words so he stayed silent and stared down at his son's gravestone, tears built up in his own eyes. He blinked them away but they came right back anyway. Jack wasn't really religious but right now he prayed to whatever deity is out there that their son was somewhere happy, maybe in a world where he can jump around the moon and soar around the trillions of stars. He deserved that much and more.
Vlad, Sam, and Tucker stood behind the three, letting them have their moment with their son and brother. Right then, it was a Fenton-only moment and they respected that. Even though Sam and Tucker were crying again being held lightly on either side of Vlad with his arms around them.
The three knelt on the ground crying softly for Danny for almost twenty minutes before finally standing up and just leaving back to the limousine. Now it was their turn and Vlad stayed back as Sam and Tucker stepped forward to stand in front of the grave.
The two teens held hands as they bent down to lay some flowers down as well. They were silent as they softly cried for several minutes. Tucker eventually spoke up.
"Hey dude, we miss you and love you so much," his voice cracked, "but I'm sure you're safe and sound and happy now. Living it up in space. What over us 'kay?"
Tucker tightened his grip on Sam's hand and she looked at him, her black mascara and eyeliner ran down her face in watery black streaks under each of her eyes. Tucker reached into his pocket for a small packet of tissues and gently wiped her cheeks for her.
She sniffled and turned back to the grave, "Danny, you really were the best friend anyone could ever have," Her voice cracked too and she had to swallow back a sob to keep talking. "Dash is an idiot and doesn't know what he's talking about. You were never a loser, not to us, not to your mom and dad and Jazz. You were awesome, with the biggest dream and every time I look up to the sky I'll... I'll think of you and the moon and... and the planets and the stars. We love you."
Sam wasn't the sentimental type but she was too far in her grief to care about who heard her, she just lost one of her best friends. She'll cry as much as she wants and needs to.
Vlad watched the two teens, hearing their words and messages to Danny. He felt his own eyes slightly tear up and he had to swallow some saliva back. They were silent for another few minutes before standing up and going back to the limousine as well.
Vlad stepped up to the grave, the only one to not have anything and he silently scolded himself for not even grabbing some flowers. He sighed softly and for once he silently allowed his tears to slip down his cheeks. He pulled his handkerchief from his breast pocket and dabbed lightly at his eyes. He wasn't good with words either so he looked down at the stone holding Danny's name and a quote Maddie came up with. He swallowed a sob and then tilted his head up to look at the overcast sky. He had a feeling it was going to rain soon and he felt it was the perfect way to showcase how the family was feeling.
He looked back down and whispered, "You died so horrifically that I believe you'll have some residue of a soul somewhere," he paused clenching a fist, "and I won't stop until I know for sure. Daniel, I promise when, not if, when you manifest as a ghost I'll keep you safe from the world. Safe and protected, the way you should have been when alive."
Vlad wiped at his eyes softly once again then clumsily stuffed the thing back in his breast pocket and turned back around to the car. Vlad had the driver drop Sam and Tucker off at Tucker's then they went back to the Fenton home. It was time he got ready to head back home and get back to work, he couldn't continue his leave. It was already almost three months since he's been at work, and he had to get back.
But not before reminding Jack and Maddie that if they needed anything to call him. Maddie had only nodded at him then walked upstairs, pausing at what used to be her son's bedroom door for a moment, then kept walking and stepped into her and Jack's room shutting the door softly. Jazz gave Vlad one last hug then left back to her own room.
"Thank you," Jack said softly, "You've done so much for us already."
Vlad pulled Jack into a side hug and said, "You're my best friend Jack, and Danny was my nephew, I've only done what I felt I should do." And he meant everything he said to Jack. He pulled away and went up to the guest room packing his things then quickly left for his manor.
He was as serious as can be about searching for Danny, and once he got home he'd prepare for his search. He'd even go to Clockwork, the Master of Time ghost to ask for help.
Even though Vlad hadn't 'died' per se during the accident of the proto-portal he had changed. No one knew Vlad Masters was half-ghost and the only half-ghost in existence as far as he knew.
Clockwork was one of the only ghosts he seemed to really get along with and by that, he means they were in a relationship. Clockwork was an ancient ghost but he could shift his shape into a more human-like body. Vlad truly loved him no matter what form he took to though. He knew the ancient ghost would help search for the boy and help shelter him in the zone if he were to be found. And fuck, he really hoped Danny could be found. He wasn't sure how he would react if Danny truly was gone from the world.
Right now though, Vlad would get home take a shower and try and sleep for the night. And if not, he'd end up flying into the Ghost Zone to Clockwork's tower to sleep with him for the night, which usually ends up happening.
~~~~~
And here Vlad was sitting next to Clockwork crying silently, his tears wetting Clockwork's cloak. But the other ghost didn't seem to care, only holding Vlad close and letting him cry.
Clockwork had watched the entire thing, of course, he is the Master of Time. He oversees everything in the world and had watched the entirety of what happened to Daniel Fenton. He knew Vlad would come to him, whether to cry privately or just to have someone there for him.
When Vlad finally stopped crying Clockwork kissed his head softly and waited for the half-ghost man to speak on his own time. Several minutes passed before he spoke.
"I know I'm probably only hoping for something that might not happen but...," he trailed off and began twiddling with his thumbs in his lap.
He hadn't turned to look at Clockwork preferring to continue laying his head on Clockwork's shoulder with the time ghost's arm around him. Clockwork waited for him when he thought he would continue speaking but he didn't.
"But what Vladimir?" He asked after waiting for a while keeping his voice soft and low.
Vlad sighed and forced himself to ask, "Could you help me find Daniel's ghost if... if...," he bit his lip and picked at a cuticle on one of his nails.
Clockwork was silent for another minute, contemplating, thinking. He shifted to pull Vlad completely on his lap, the younger man now straddling the ancient ghost, facing him. Clockwork put his hands on either side of Vlad's face and said, "Calm down, we'll search for him but, I'll be honest, I'm not too sure we'll find anything yet. It's only been a few months, it is still too recent."
Vlad nodded staring into Clockwork's red-colored eyes allowing the man to speak and hold him. He gripped the front of Clockwork's cloak when he was moved.
"It may take some time for his soul to form a ghost form," Clockwork said rubbing his right thumb softly against Vlad's blue cheek.
Vlad nodded and dipped his head down to lay it on Clockwork's shoulder and the older ghost smiled sadly at him rubbing his back underneath the cape he wearing.
Vlad Masters was a man of few words but he cared and loved deeply and he loved his nephew so much, just as much as he loved his niece and his best friends and of course Clockwork.
Clockwork pecked his head softly again and whispered, "Get to sleep now, I'm right here."
Vlad hummed lightly, black rings forming over his body turning ghost into human. Clockwork tightened his hold ever so slightly as Vlad's breathing slowed and evened out in his sleep.
Clockwork looked to the timeline, a few feet away, muted by his staff so it wouldn't interrupt their talk. Sam and Tucker were at Tucker's house, just being together. Clockwork felt horrible for the children and always will for any child going through such a traumatizing time. He really did have a soft spot for children. He ran his fingers through Vlad's silver hair and watched the timeline as the younger slept.
When Vlad woke up he was slightly confused as to where he was until he felt the familiar softness of Clockwork's cloak against his face. He snuggled his face against the shoulder he was leaning against and heard a soft chuckle.
"I know I'm comfortable but you do need to get back to the world of the living," Clockwork whispered amusement in his tone. "You have work to get to."
Vlad huffed in annoyance and lifted his head, "How much time do I have until I have to actually be at the company?"
Clockwork chuckled lightly again and said, "Five more minutes, I'm not stilling time for you again."
Vlad smiled and laid his head back down almost instantly asleep again. Clockwork really was a saint sometimes.
Five minutes later and Vlad was forced awake and he transformed into his alter ego Vlad Plasmius as he got ready to head back home.
"You'll watch out for Daniel right?" Vlad asked again his red eyes shining with hidden anxiety.
"Yes, don't worry and relax," Clockwork answered him laying a hand on his cheek. His other hand held his staff and continued, "Just head back home and do your best to keep to a somewhat normal routine, I will let you know if I find something. I'm always watching so don't let everything get to you again."
Vlad smiled eyes softening from the genuine care and support from the other. Something Vlad wasn't accustomed to from others and hugged the older ghost and said, "Thank you, you really are amazing."
Clockwork wrapped his free arm around Vlad shifting to a more human-like appearance and said, "No need to thank me, you're my boyfriend and this is something I had already planned on doing. Regardless if you had asked me or not."
Vlad pulled away at that and smiled even more at his human appearance before being pulled in for a light kiss and kissed him back.
"Get going now, I need to watch these other timelines, and you don't want to be late for work," Clockwork said another light chuckle coming from him.
Vlad nodded and said, "Alright, then I'll talk to you later."
Clockwork nodded and watched Vlad fly off from his clock tower then turned and pulled up several timelines as well as Vlad's. Though Vlad's timeline was almost always open, he was always watching, making sure Vlad was doing okay and not spiraling down into his own trauma.
~~~~~
When Vlad arrived home he washed his face quickly then combed and pulled his hair back into a hair tie. He quickly changed into a three-piece black suit grabbed his suitcase and left for work. But his attention was far from work and he ended up staying in his office most of the day, postponing a couple of meetings. Instead, he tried to distract himself from Danny and his own spiraling thoughts by reading through some documents. A cup of black coffee sitting on a coaster on his desk and his phone sitting on his desk as well. Within reach, in case someone called him especially if it was Jack or Maddie or even Jazz.
But the black and white words on the paper only seemed to fade and dance around the paper from his vision. He growled lightly to himself dropping the documents back onto his desk in front of him and downed half of his coffee, relishing in the burn he felt as he went down his throat. He swiped a hand down his face and placed the mug back on the coaster.
No sense in even trying to focus if he couldn't even read anything. His mind found this a perfect moment to bring Danny full force into his mind, not that the teenager had ever left his mind. Thinking of Danny's accident though, what Sam and Tucker told the police had happened only forced his thoughts back to his own accident. In college, by the proto-portal and he bit his lip harshly enough that if he had used his fangs he'd have drawn blood. It was the scariest thing he'd ever gone through.
"Are you sure this is going to work, Jack?" A college-aged Vlad asked his best friend.
"Of course Vladdy!" Jack boomed as he plugged a couple of things in.
Maddie was looking over some papers going over the hypothesis and notes. "Jack," she began, "these calculations aren't right."
Jack hadn't heard her and slammed the button to turn the proto-portal on while exclaiming, "Bonzai!"
Vlad was staring directly into the thing before jumping hearing the portal hum before turning 'on' with a loud woosh. His eyes widened and he tried to move out of the way but it was too late, it backfired and blasted into his face.
He screamed the ectoplasm from the portal searing into his skin and burning it. The portal fizzled humming slightly before fizzling out smoking and sparking. Vlad groaned covering his face with his hands before turning to Maddie and Jack. Both college students gasped their eyes wide before Vlad screamed again and passed out hitting his head on the hard marble-like tile on the lab floor.
Maddie had been the one to call for an ambulance as Jack knelt down next to Vlad to make sure he hadn't done further damage to himself as he fell.
"The ambulance is on its way Jack," Maddie whispered. Fear was laced in her tone, anxiety bursting from her eyes as she shook waiting for the ambulance.
Vlad had been in a coma for almost a month and that entire time both Maddie and Jack almost never left him alone in the hospital. If they weren't at the college, they were at the hospital with Vlad.
At one point the man had flatlined while Jack and Maddie were staying the night. Both students woke up anxious and scared at the sudden long and loud beep of the machines hooked up to Vlad. They really had thought they lost him, but amazingly and confusingly his heart started back up on its own two minutes before nurses and the doctor had run into the room. They ran some tests and checked his heart rate, it was a bit slow but still average for a coma patient.
"Is... is he... okay?" Maddie asked wringing her hands as tears built up in the corner of her eyes.
A nurse smiled kindly and pitifully at her and said, "So far yes, he's okay. Okay as can be while in a coma."
Maddie sighed a bit in somewhat relief leaning against Jack's larger frame for support. She felt she could just pass out knowing Vlad hadn't actually died and wasn't sure she'd ever forgive herself if something she and Jack had built killed their best friend.
"You know," the nurse, her name was Mary, continued, "sometimes talking to them can help wake them up. It is said coma patients may be able to somewhat hear their surroundings."
Maddie smiled again but couldn't trust herself to say anything as Mary and the doctor left after checking Vlad's vitals one last time. They had other patients to take care of as well.
Maddie sat by Vlad's bedside as Jack sat back down on the couch by the window. She bit her lip looking down at their friend, he definitely looked like a coma patient. His hair had grown some since he was out and his nails too, his skin was pale and his lips seemed dry and chapped. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her chapstick and softly applied some to Vlad's lips.
"There you go," She whispered, "I know I'd want someone to help me if I were in a coma." She paused as she put her chapstick back in her pocket and then said, "Vlad, come on wake up, we're... we're waiting for you."
She didn't say much else not knowing what else to say before standing up to sit back next to Jack. They pulled some schoolwork out to distract themselves from the man laying in the bed a few feet away.
Another month had passed making it two months and finally, Vlad woke up. He blinked his eyes a couple of times looking up to see a white ceiling and he cringed slightly at the bright lights. He blinked again confused as to where he was and why he was hearing beeping noises and turned his head just slightly to find barely any pain in his movements just stiffness. He found machines on either side of the bed he was on beeping softly but it was still a bit annoying to his ears.
He was in a hospital, he realized. He had machines hooked up to him and a couple of IV bags as well.
"Vlad?" A soft female voice pulled his attention to the right side of the room. A doorway where Maddie and Jack were standing eyes wide with shaky smiles on their faces.
He coughed slightly just now realizing how dry his mouth and throat felt.
"Jack, go get Nurse Mary and the doctor," Maddie said softly patting the man's forearm.
He nodded and jogged off leaving his bag with Maddie.
Maddie entered the room and shut the door lightly behind her laying her and Jack's bags on the couch on the left side of the room.
"You're awake," She said relief was clear in her tone and wide eyes.
He coughed again and slowly reached to point at his throat, not trusting himself to speak yet. He was so confused but his throat was too dry to keep ignoring it.
"Thirsty?" She asked softly.
Vlad nodded a bit his neck muscles stiff and barely wanting to move. She walked off into a room beside his bed and machines on the left side then came out with a small plastic cup and a tiny little straw in it. She helped him drink through the straw.
"Slow down huh, don't gulp. The doctor and nurse will be here soon," She said a very small smile on her face watching Vlad attempt to gulp down the water.
Vlad could only nod again as he slowed his pace and drank some more before deciding he was done for now. Maddie pulled the cup away and placed it on the desk beside the bed as he licked his lips with his now, finally moistened tongue.
"What...," he began, his voice just as bad as he thought. Hoarse and barely there as he asked, "What happened?"
She frowned and sat on the bed next to his hand on the left side and said, "The proto-portal Vlad, you... you had gotten injured from the portal."
He blinked a couple of times for a moment thinking back on it, then his eyes widened as he remembered. His heart sped up a bit as some fear and anxiety started climbing back up in his chest. The heart monitor began beeping, alerting them to the higher heart rate.
"Shh," Maddie began placing her hands on his chest, "It's alright calm down, you're okay. You've healed quite well and you're alive."
Vlad could only nod just as the door to his hospital room opened and in came Jack and a nurse and a doctor right behind him.
The nurse introduced herself first with a smile, "Hello Mr. masters, I'm glad you're awake. I'm Nurse Mary." She walked up to him to check on his vitals as the doctor spoke next.
"Glad to see you're awake," The doctor began and opened his chart as she spoke, "I'm Doctor Lynn. I do have a few questions to ask you, is that okay?"
Vlad thought about it for a moment but nodded and said, voice still a bit sore from being unused, "Yeah."
Doctor Lynn smiled and began, "Do you remember what happened?"
Vlad nodded, "Accident at college, with a science experiment." His voice really did sound horrible and he coughed a bit. Maddie grabbed the cup of water and helped him drink some more to lubricate his throat.
Doctor Lynn nodded, "Does anywhere hurt? Your head?"
Vlad thought about it for a moment but said, "Actually, no nothing hurts. I do feel a bit stiff though."
"That's good then," She said writing a couple of things on his chart as Nurse Mary checked everything. Telling the doctor everything for notes on his condition.
"Do you feel shortness of breath? Heart palpitations?" Doctor Lynn asked noting that Vlad shook his head to both questions.
Vlad felt fine honestly, other than the sore throat and stiffness in his limbs. He wondered how long he'd been out and what happened while he was out.
"Well Mr. Masters, everything seems to be okay with your vitals and your heart and your head," Mary said to both the doctor and Vlad, even though she addressed Vlad.
Vlad liked her, she kind of reminded him of his mother. Beautiful, kind, smart and always helping those in need. Well maybe because his mother was also a nurse, she lived in Russia though and they barely talked. Both are so busy, one with work and the other a mixture of college and a part-time job, they can barely even make time for a short phone call.
"I do need to inform you, Mr. Masters, that we did almost lose you," Doctor Lynn caught his attention.
His eyes widened slightly and he looked at Maddie and Jack, they looked exhausted as he really got a good look at them now. Both students had dark bags under their eyes, slightly sunken in eyes and he could have sworn Maddie swayed a bit leaning against Jack to steady herself.
"H-how long was I out?" He asked and looked back at the doctor.
"Two months exactly, you would have started a third month in two days," Doctor Lynn answered, "You flatlined just before you hit the second-month mark. But surprisingly your heart started itself back up."
Vlad blinked at that, that really didn't make sense to him. The human heart can't just stop working and then start back up again, one needs resuscitation if their heart stopped beating in order for it to start again.
"We'll keep you for another few weeks just to make sure you really are fine," Doctor Lynn continued, "and help you work on using your legs and arms and body again, the stiffness is from not moving for almost three months. Is that all you're feeling?"
Vlad nodded and said, "Could I sit up?"
Doctor Lynn nodded and Mary pushed a button on the bed lifting the head portion of it to an upright position. Jack helped Vlad sit up as Mary fixed his pillow to a more comfortable position before he leaned back again.
"Are you hungry?" Mary asked him as she looked at the heart monitor again. She was a bit paranoid from his flatlining and didn't want that happening again. She'd lost a couple of patients because of heart failure and she didn't want to see him die either, he was young and deserved a longer life just as much as anyone.
Vlad thought about it for a moment and yeah he was a bit hungry. He nodded and Mary smiled.
"I'll bring some light soup and some crackers back in a few moments," She said checking on his IV bags, "Just drink your water, for now, it'll help your throat."
He nodded but asked, "Actually could I have some tea?"
Mary looked to the doctor and Lynn nodded, some tea wouldn't hurt him, it would probably bring him some comfort after being in a coma for two months.
"Any tea in particular?" Lynn asked with a smile.
He thought about it and then said, "Jasmine please."
Mary nodded and left the room to get his soup and crackers and tea. Lynn wrote some more things on his chart and said, "I'd like to run some tests as a precaution. Are you okay with that? In the meantime, I can get another nurse in here to remove the feeding tube so you can comfortably eat."
Vlad nodded and then looked to Maddie and Jack again, "You two," he began and cleared his throat coughing slightly at the action, "go home and get some real sleep and food. I can tell your both exhausted."
Maddie blushed and Jack rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. Lynn laughed lightly and nodded, "Yes, you've been here every day since he was admitted into the hospital. He's in safe hands here, we'll call you if anything changes."
Maddie smiled and Jack nodded.
"Thank you doctor for everything you've done for him," Maddie said her hands clasped together in front of her chest.
Lynn smiled and said, "I'm just doing my job."
Maddie nodded again and Jack led her out of the room after grabbing their bags.
"You know Mr. Masters," Lynn said after they were gone and the door was shut.
Vlad looked at her tilting his head slightly in question.
"When you arrived, we weren't sure you were going to make it, and even less sure after your heart stopped and you flatlined," She said closing the chart to put her full attention on the man, "but you beat the odds and even woke up almost three months later when we had thought you'd never wake up again. You're one strong young man, why don't you stay that way alright? I don't want to see you back here." She laughed a bit at her own joke.
Vlad actually smiled a very tiny gritty chuckle came from his mouth. Lynn tipped her head in respect and said, "I'll leave you alone for a bit, a nurse will come by to remove the feeding tube and gauge if you need the breathing tube still or not. After that, I'll come back to run some tests and Mary will give you food and your tea."
Vlad nodded and watched the doctor leave then laid his head back against the bed. God, he really almost died because they were all so inclined to know of a different dimension. How stupid could they have been?
Three weeks went by quickly and Vlad was finally home, and throughout the days of being back home, he noticed some things seemed off about himself. He felt lighter in his body and didn't seem to eat as much anymore, or well didn't seem to need to eat all that much more. He chalked it off at first as a symptom of being in the coma for so long and still trying to get back to normalcy.
That thought only changed when he caught himself actually descending through his desk chair in his dorm room. He had, rightfully, freaked out jumping from the seat, and seemed to go back to 'normal'. Things would only get worse, he'd watch as a hand or a foot or an entire arm disappeared completely from sight before reappearing.
He had never been more glad he lived by himself in a dorm room. He had contemplated telling Maddie and Jack but decided against it, they'd worried enough about him. They needed to focus on themselves now.
Vlad did his own research and experimented with the weird things his body was doing. He only came to the epiphany one night when he was suddenly floating above his bed instead of laying on it reading a book. He freaked out again and out of nowhere these black rings formed at his waist and separated, going up and down his body. He almost sprinted to his bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror, seeing someone else entirely, yet he knew this was him.
He saw glowing red eyes staring back at him, his silvery hair was now a dark black with silver streaks running through it. His hair was down instead of its usual ponytail and flowing gently down his shoulders. He was wearing a black and white, and red shirt with pants and a white and red cape over his shoulders. His skin was a blue color and it was glowing, he was glowing as if he himself was a glow-stick.
His eyes widened and he jumped backing up away from the bathroom sink and mirror. He... he was... a ghost. What the fuck? He thought, what the actual fuck!?
He didn't know what to do, he could transform into a ghost, something that should never happen unless you were quite literally dead, but Vlad wasn't dead. He paused in his thinking and then realized, the accident!
No, he wasn't dead but maybe he half-died? He was completely and utterly confused. He did his best to calm his heart rate breathing in and out slowly and closing his eyes wondering if he could perhaps change back. He thought about becoming 'human' again and he felt something shift in his body. He opened his eyes and there were the black rings again going up and down his body and there he was, silver hair in a ponytail and his white silky pajamas.
Vlad Masters had so much to think about and it was too overwhelming it scared him a bit, he now had a huge secret he had to keep to himself.
~~~~~
Vlad sighed to himself remembering the feeling of helplessness, fear, anxiety, and the thought of Maddie and Jack who'd made it clear they're not fond of ghosts finding out he was half ghost. Would they actually attack him if they found he was half-ghost? He hadn't wanted them to find out then and he still didn't want them to find out now.
He blinked from his thoughts hearing a familiar ringing sound. His phone and sighed once again picking up the device. Maddie was calling him. Vlad furrowed his brows and answered the call, "Maddie? Is everything alright?"
"For the most part," She said sadly.
Vlad frowned but waited for her to continue.
It was only a minute until she said, "Well the Amity Space Planetarium will be holding a memorial service for Danny. He'd gone there so many times the staff loved him so much and they wanted to do something special for him." She paused again and he could hear her swallow and take in a breath before continuing.
"We wanted to know if you'd be able to show up and put something down in the memorial sight for him."
He smiled at that and said, "I'm sure I can fit that into my schedule. When is it? I'll mark my calendar and make sure I'm free for the day."
Vlad could practically hear the relief in her voice as she spoke, "Wonderful, It'll be held in two weeks, on Saturday. It'll start at 8:00 PM, a memorial service with a free star and planet watch for everyone. They're even having someone paint a mural for him on the side of the building."
Vlad nodded to himself as he opened his calendar on the computer in front of him, clicking on the date and marking it down as important.
"And of course, I'll bring something for him," Vlad said as he emailed his assistant to not schedule any meetings on that day.
Maddie thanked him over and over again before hanging up saying she had to help plan for the day and Jack needed some help.
Vlad laid his phone down and opened google, he already knew what exactly he was going to gift Daniel Fenton. His very own star.